Telegram-herald., 1887-06-20
COUNTRY COUSINS
SEEKING ADA.ssSSs TO TA9 CRY
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fion IN tsszs 1ae fxLzsRAN HkkA1B IL
sssponsiple ior tas esAiaa and las ffosa tiEas
20 tlms sss ferah sAs various progressive IT.
dnsfriss xhieA seeta destined - bEias
about = steady. pernsDsnt growth end
achieve the mnch dssifsa e3eet. whils
the saginaw sad Bay City felix's sfs hrszk-
Ing their Dscks &c lake sishin tkeir ba.ll-
wieks numerous surrounding tewns and
outlying fsrEaiag eountfy ssd nmberea
lands. Grand Rkpias holds her own s< JEy
No. : Of Luoe,s lucky acres, and except
something uBforseeA ocs 1rs vii eventually
iTcl up 10 CITY No l, eyen though
DetIoif take Ia Windsor aid Sandwich nnd
the S2ginsws ana lie Bays extend
their boundary lines from Lansing 20 al
pena- From tine 20 tine the bjccf Of ex-
tending the city limits has been taikea II
yet tie period which hip Van VIM
kle slept In the Calskili Mountains has
elapsed since any territory MAS ADDE'S . the
city OF Grand Rapids. The people IL the
thickly settled poftion Of the territory di-
slded from the city. and deprived of city
advantages simply BY reason OF an imagin-
a-y line. are again bsstirring themselves IN
tbs matter aud hope TO succeed IA becom-
ing allied 10 the cry Of which they are IN
reality part, yet which in the matter of
taxation and advantage they are - lar from
s. Ada, Lowell. 0rattan and other villages
and townships In the corporate limits of
the county q Kent
These people-that is a large majority Of
those residing near the eify--sfe anxious
10 be annexed 10 Grand Rapids and are al
ready taking an initiative step Ia the
matter.
A prominent resident Of the territory
outlying tie city in discussing the question
OF extending the limits, thus unbosomed
himself 10 reporter for the IELRGRAM-
HERALD.
The small property owners and actual
residents OF the territory outlying the pres
ent, progressive city of Grand Rapids are
unanimous in desire for an extension Of
the city limits. Those who are the ioudest
in opposition 10 the project are the
meL OF wealth who resias in the city
themselves and own large tracts OF land
outside The limits. These men are 80 situ-
ated that they already possess the adg2n-
tsges We ses < and do not thirk IL night
that we should be deprived q our rights
through the smallness OF these individuals
Now for myself ] am bszitily in
favor OF taking in a half mile strip on each
side OF the city, which would be a sufficient
addition for the present and would work no
hardship To anyone This territory is
all thickly settled and the greater
par of its residents do business
or find employment in the city
and are therefore part Of the great metrop-
oils. though separated from IL by that imsg-
mary line. The half mile strip would take
in ali that populous territory in the vicinity
of the chair factory, the G. r. & /. Car
Shops, southwest of Butterworth-ave
north and west OF Leonard. St. and east Of
the city, which includes the section known
as HarrisonvilIe. Comstock, Jpe Boulevard.
South Yards aud the Fair Grounds. With
in this territory named. figuring from last
Springs vote as q basis OF estimation il is
fair TO claim that there is a population Of
IL, SOL know / will be accused of making
my figures too large--all of which derives
its support from the city and should prop
erly be made q art oft.
Now there aye many things which we
would gain by having the limits of the
city extended. compared 10 which tie in
creased taxation would be 4 cipher. The
first and principal thing would be the ad-
vantage of graoed system of schools. IS
well as the High school, which Is the step
ping stone 60 the State University. at
present we must content ourselves with
a system of Red School Houses, the same as
possessed By the most unsettled township
in the State, or else pay literally for the
privilege OF sending our children 10 the
city schools. providing Of course tha. the
buildings are not oyercrovded and that as
hayseeds can find a vacant desk, for you
know that city pupils are given the prefer
cnce over us farmers. Then we would
have the advantage OF police and fire pro-
lection. two things in = ch we are ST pres
ent very deficient. La case OF a row we
must wait for the arrival Of the sheriff and
his force. for although Q whole army of
police might be eye witnesses, yet that i'm
aginary line would prevent them from ex-
ercising their authority. In case of fire
we arc helpless Even though we may
have cisterns full OF water the fire degert-
ment comes only as far as the imaginary
line. halts. gazes at the FIRE, siioss us 20
gaze or the magnificent machines with
their highly polished brass. and the baiid-
ing burns, when In many cases II might be
saved. Other advantages We would have
are the grading OF streets and laying
Of sidewalks. electric lights and
gas and hundred and one things which
our neighb0rs enjoy. bat that imaginary
line deprives us Of STEPS should be. and
am confident viii be. taken at once 10
bring about an extension Of the city limits
and while, Of course. Il is too late now for
the Legislature 20 act directly on tie mat
Representatives Kiilean. Dillon, or Senator
Stark might distinguish themselves and
gain tie piaudsts OF their constituents by
unearthing some old bill. revsmpiBg The
title and constructing a. Enabling Act
empowering an extension Of the limits say
in 1891. This step would give Grand Rap
ids the desired 10000 population and make
us all happy"